Making the Right PR Move for Your Tech Company: Agency or In-house?‍

In-house PR vs. Agency — Which is the Better Choice?

‍

In the world of tech, a great product alone doesn’t always guarantee success. You need people to know about it, talk about it, and generally be wowed by it.

That’s where PR comes in. But when it comes to hiring a PR partner, tech companies often face a daunting choice.

Should you bring on a battle-tested agency with a crack team of PR pros, or should you hire a solo expert who knows your company’s ins and outs like the back of their hand?

As someone who’s worked with both, I can tell you: It’s not an easy decision. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the strengths of each approach, and for the sake of not boring our readers, we’ll not make it too long by adding the cons. Please assume that the potential strength of one could be a potential weakness of the other.

So let’s dive right in!

Benefits Of Having A Dedicated In-House PR Pro

1. Insider Know How: In-house PR folks have a unique understanding of your company’s culture, products, and services, which makes it easier for them to create effective PR campaigns that truly reflect your brand’s voice and values.
2. Better Collaboration: Since they have the advantage of being able to work directly with your company’s other departments and teams. This means they can easily coordinate PR efforts with marketing, sales, and other teams to ensure your brand’s message is consistent across all channels.
3. Personal Attention: When you hire an agency, you’re just one of their many clients. But with an in-house PR person, you have their undivided attention. They are solely focused on your brand’s success and can devote all of their time and energy to making it happen

Benefits Of Hiring An Agency

1. Cost Effective: Sometimes, it’s easy to assume that hiring an agency is a bigger financial commitment than bringing on an in-house PR person. However, working with an agency can actually be a more cost-effective solution. When you hire an agency, you’re getting a whole team of seasoned PR professionals for the price of one in-house person.
2. Incredible Network: By partnering with an agency, you can tap into their extensive network of media contacts and potential partners. This can be challenging for an in-house PR person who only focuses on one company and may not have the same breadth of contacts. In short, working with an agency means you get to ride their coattails and bask in their extensive network of connections.
3. Organised Approach: When you work with an agency, you can rest easy knowing that everything is being taken care of. They have a tried-and-tested process for creating and executing PR campaigns that gets results. Plus, they have the resources and tools to manage everything from media outreach to event planning to crisis management.

In conclusion, the decision of whether to choose an external agency or in-house public relations for a tech company requires a thoughtful and strategic approach. Factors such as company size, budget, resources, objectives, and funding stage of the startup must be taken into consideration.

Startups at different funding stages have different priorities, and their public relations needs will also vary accordingly. As such, it is important to assess the pros and cons of both options and determine which will best suit the company’s immediate and long-term needs.

Ultimately, the success of a tech company’s public relations strategy will depend on collaboration, flexibility, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, regardless of whether an external agency or in-house team is chosen.